In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association , researchers investigated whether Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) methylation-based epigenetic age biomarkers mediate the associations between Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score and risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality. Study: Epigenetic Age Mediates the Association of Life's Essential 8 With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality . Image Credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.
com CVD is the leading cause of death in the United States (U.S). The American Heart Association (AHA) proposed a new cardiovascular health (CVH) metric, LE8, which includes diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index (BMI), blood lipid levels, blood glucose levels, and blood pressure.
Optimal levels of these factors reduce the risk of CVD and other diseases. However, ideal CVH levels are low among Americans. DNA methylation, influenced by genetics and lifestyle, is linked to CVD and mortality.
Further research is needed to understand better the molecular mechanisms by which DNA methylation influences CVH and to develop targeted prevention and intervention strategies. Data from participants in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring and Third Generation cohorts were analyzed. Of the 6,432 participants at baseline, 5,682 had complete LE8 data, 4,130 had epigenetic age score data, and 3,693 had both.
The study received approval from the Institutional Review Boards of .